Today we’d like to introduce you to KishaLynn Elliott.
KishaLynn, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I refer to myself as a “Creative Entre-Professional”. That means I make an impact in the world in three ways.
First, there’s the creative: I’m an author, a speaker, and a storyteller. Words have always been my superpower, starting from a young age as an early reader. Now, the wonderful world of self-publishing has opened the door of authorship to me, allowing me to fulfill a life long dream of sharing my stories with the word. I’ve written many pages and stood on many stages–feeding my soul while baring it.
Next, there’s the entre…as an entrepreneur. I founded my personal development company, This Stuff’s Working! Coaching in 2012 because I was ready to put all the things I had learned and used for success in my own life to some good use in the world. I left a lucrative, secure job and struck out on my own. I earned my coaching certification and started serving individual, group, and organizational clients. It was a difficult challenge. I made mistakes in every area. But I found ways to navigate the pitfalls. I leaned on my network—my “framily”. I persevered and ultimately, I found a way to have it all when I got my current job.
That’s the professional side of me. I am fortunate to have an amazing full-time job as a Director at the Monarch School in San Diego’s Barrio Logan neighborhood. Monarch is a K-12 public school that serves students and families who are all impacted by homelessness. My role as a leader Monarch has empowered me to show up in service every day. It also enables me to continue to build my other endeavors in art and in business.
It’s all quite the balancing act, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’ve had many struggles on my path. Creatively, I’ve always struggled with rejection and taking criticism personally. It’s the reason I didn’t publish my first book until I was in my 30s. That’s when I finally gave myself permission to become an author. That permission had been suppressed throughout my childhood and early adulthood by people telling me I wasn’t good enough.
Entrepreneurship is not an easy road. The first two months after I left my job to start my own business were a dream. I felt free. I felt happy. I felt able. Then, by the 3rd month, I was out of money with no clients and no plan. The real wakeup call came when we received a 3-day Eviction Notice on our door–on my 32nd birthday. I knew I needed to dig deep and make something happen in my business, so I did. Fortunately, thanks to the job I have now at the Monarch School, things have never gotten that bad again. I was able to keep pursuing my dream, help more people, and keep the lights on.
Balancing a fulltime job with a business as well as a social and service life has its own challenges, especially when you factor in marriage and motherhood. But I have always believed that all things are working together for my greatest good. Positivity is one of my strengths. I am able to store it in reserves during good times and draw on it in times of struggle.
Please tell us about This Stuff’s Working! Coaching.
I am known for doing it all. I’m an author, a speaker, a storyteller. I edit, ghostwrite, and publish books. I coach, consult, facilitate, and train within organizations across the country. I’m an educator, an advocate, an activist and a healer. That’s a lot of things to shove under one umbrella, but all are essential ways that I show up in the world. Everything I do for work and business is designed to help restore a sense of community, champion social justice, and heal the world. I’m most proud of figuring out how to bring every part of myself to the work I do and being so well-received as my full, authentic self. What sets me apart is that I move through the world, and I approach business through these beautifully intersectional lenses–I’m black, I’m female, and I’m a lesbian. I bring that lived experience to the work I do, always aiming to help others do the same.
What’s next for you?
I am elated to be launching the Black Leadership and Abundance Center (BLAAC), a new company I am forming in partnership with CaMesha Reece, an HR strategist and fellow coach. BLAAC is here to help Black and other leaders of color build prosperous lives through healing practices. We also provide training, facilitation and consulting services for companies and organizations seeking education and training around ways to empower and protect our community.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I hope I can bring all I’ve learned since with me. Most of the mistakes I’ve made in the past nine years as an entrepreneur were financial. I certainly would have hired a better accountant! Money woes aside, another thing I would have done earlier is to ask for help more often. I’m fiercely independent. At times I act like I don’t need anyone else to do what I want to do. As I’m getting older now, I see that this might even be true. But I do more and succeed more quickly when I bring others in and ask for help. There’s a saying that goes, “If it is to be, it is up to me.” That was my motto for a very long time, especially the first few years in business. Now it has evolved to “If it is to be, it is up to we.” And while it is terrible grammar, it’s a superior mindset for art, business, work, and life.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.BLAAC.life
- Email: KishaLynn@blaac.life
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/coachkishalynn
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/
kishalynn - LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kishalynn
- Other: www.childishthebook.com
, www.saytheirnames.live, www. thisstuffsworking.com
Image Credit:
ShotbyTJ
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